What do you mean 'if we still had the draft?' The Selective Service System
is alive, well and ready to be used when needed. All 18 and older males are
still required to register for universal conscription. When cannon fodder
is needed . . . . .re-activating the system is but a computer push button
away.

However, and speaking as a 20 year retiree from the combat arms, I don't
believe in it. Having professional soldiers is much more efficient and the
job gets done a lot better, especially if the politicos don't interefere
beyond giving the order and setting the broad parameters.

I will go along with R. Heinlein and put it this way. If a society is worth
saving enough will come forward. If enough do not come forward it follows
without question the society was not worth saving.

The truest measure of the worth or value of any system is it's ability to
defend itself without military slavery (the draft, Selective Service, or
Universal Conscription by it's true name.)

But then I also believe with Mr. Heinlein that full citizenship should only
belong to those who have come forward and put the good of the whole ahead of
themselves as individuals and further that no one coming forward voluntarily
should be denied some form of service, be it combat arms or hospital orderly
in lower Manhatten.

Citizenship should be more than a mere geographical accident of birth.

Now to real get the blood going....as long as women are denied by the
constitution the right, duty, and privilege of being drafted they will
always be second class citizens and barred from full participation.

For those of you who read the book instead of watching the stupid movie you
already know the rest of this great philosophy.

M.




"Dave" wrote in message
...
On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 15:15:11 GMT, felton said:

I wonder how the American sentiment would view this war and our
elected leadership if we still had a draft and it *might* affect all
the young folks, instead of the few?

Actually, I have it on pretty good authority that our present mix of
active
duty troops and national guard is the result of a deliberate policy change
made for that very purpose after appraising the loss of support for the
Vietnam war. The problem was an undue concentration of lower income and
black soldiers among the draftees, with the middle and upper class whites
wangling deferments. (Remember that Howard Dean had such a back problem he
had to spend the war years skiing in Vermont.) The determination was made
that substantial numbers of the guard should be involved in any future war
in order to bring involvement to Main Street.


Dave
S/V Good Fortune
CS27